Williamson, Takeuchi Tops Blenheim Trust 5K Field On Beef Island

MARCH 26—Guy Williamson used a series of 40m Fartlek sprints to fend off Maxford Pipe while Kim Takeuchi didn’t want to be beaten by her friend during Saturday’s second tour stop of the Blenheim Trust 5K Series on Tortola, with a race on Beef Islands that attracted 84 participants.

Williamson said he thought the race was close as Pipe would catch up to him after each sprint. “To be honest, I don’t really have a strategy,” Williamson revealed, after running 18 minutes and 45 seconds for his second tour victory. “I just go out and see how I feel. If I feel good, I push it a little if I don’t I, ease off. But. It’s always a close race with Pipe.”

Pipe who was second in 19:15 as in his last outing, said Williamson used his experience to beat him. “He ran a good race,” Pipe noted. “I tried to stick with him for as long and I could, but I guess he came with different tactics today. I came with my game plan, but I guess he came with a better game plan. However, I was a nice race and I bettered my time so that was very important to me.”

Takeuchi said she loves running on Beef Island and her only concern was beating her friend Casey McNutt, who organizes races on Virgin Gorda. “She’s pretty fast and I had my eye on her the whole race,” Takeuchi pointed out. “She has the Virgin Gorda Half Marathon coming up on May 17 and I know she’s training hard. But, this is a great course.”